Did you know that school governors and trustees are the largest volunteer workforce in the country? Or that this group of unpaid, unsung heroes is estimated to add more than £1.2 billion of value to education in the UK?  

Governance volunteers are essential to schools delivering high-quality education and opportunities to the children and young people in our communities. Did you also know your employer might give you time off to be a governor?   

Currently, just about every school and every multi-academy trust in the country has vacancies on its board. The reason isn’t easy to pin down, but it may be that people aren't clear about the roles and expectations of school governors. When people think of volunteering in a charity shop, they are usually clear about what the role will entail, whereas the role of governor or trustee is what you want to make it.  

There are minimum expectations, of course, like attending meetings, visiting schools, and attending training, but beyond that, the amount of time and effort you give depends on your circumstances and interests. There is also ample training available to help you grow the role and grow into the role.   

Timewise, for a local governor in a school that is part of a trust, the most basic commitment is probably in the region of 20–25 hours a year, or for a trustee about 40 hours a year. Not huge, is it? But the difference you can make to children’s education, well-being, and life chances is astronomical.   

Joining OWN as a trustee, local governor or member contributes to the local community and helps secure a good start in life for the children in our area. 

After all, how often do you get the chance to help build our country’s future and shape the next generation of doctors, nurses, engineers, astronauts, dentists, social workers, and much more! 

If you would like to volunteer or have a chat and get some further information, we would love to hear from you:

• Visit our website OWN Trust - Governance Volunteering Roles

• Contact us to Discover more about Governance Volunteering at OWN Trust

• Email governance@own-trust.education